In general, the present invention relates to pet collars, and more particularly to pet collars of the type capable of releasing under tension, to protect the pet in the event the collar becomes entangled with some obstruction.
Although releasable or break-away pet collars are in general known, none have been found to provide the reliability necessary to insure the safety of the pet when the collar is caught on some obstacle such as shrubbery, fencing, etc. Reliability necessitates a positive release of the collar under a predetermined amount of maximum tension, wherein the particular threshold of the break-away tension will vary from pet to pet. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a lower threshold of break-away force for a cat, as compared with most dogs. A similar variation in release level would be desirable for different size animals of the same type.
The minimum threshold amount of collar tension resulting in release will usually be determined by the associated inconvenience of frequent loss of collars which release too easily. Additionally, in those cases where the collar is used in conjunction with a leash, it is of course desirable to provide a sufficiently high minimum threshold of release, adequate for maintaining the animal under control while held by a leash.
In addition to the desired reliability of the releasing mechanism, it is equally important that the collar be capable of being manufactured at a sufficiently low cost so that the item can be made available to pet owners at a reasonable price.